DIY Bass traps & treatments..


Hello Everyone,

I need to prevail upon your wealth of experience once again... this time in the area of "acoustical room treatments". Bass traps, diffusion, first reflection, etc.

I'm not afraid of work, I am afraid of spending more than necessary to achieve a properly treated room. ONe more suitable to enjoy listening than I now have. the problem is I have absolutely no idea of what, where, or how to start, and/or keep it all in balance... too much, or too little in this area seems inappropriate, though again, I just don't know.... but I need to now...

I would appreciate being pointed in the direction where one should begin apart from getting a SPL meter and a test CD.

Here's what I do know:
Bass traps can be made. Either from Fiberglass panels, or 3/8 inch carpet runners. (each of which needs to be spaced 1.5 inch off the wall at top & bottom)

Room Corners (top & bottom), need treatment. Real traps says 2' x 2' traps are appropriate there.

My room is 13 feet 7 inches wide, 19 feet 7 inches long, & at the highest point, 8.75 feet (sloping gently down to 8.25). Fully carpeted. Two openings to other areas. One hallway, one to the kitchen and dining area Both of wich will ultimately be closed off by doors, pocket on one, bifold, or snap back on the other. No pictures or wall hangings what ever. Vynal coverd drywall, with R-11 in the side walls, R-19 in the one exposed wall the main speakers face, along with a 48 inch wide window there as well.

The speakers sit on the 13 foot wall facing the length of the room... and the curtain covered windowed wall. The rear of the speakres point toward a false wall which houses a 61 inch projection TV, which I had built to give the speakers a flat surface area behind them instead of just a big old TV between them and the problems it causes.

I'm using a pair of VR4 JR's. One sub which I will soon swap[ out for at least a better one, and probably two of the Von Schweikert subs...

oh, and one chair at the listening position... that's it. Pretty bare. oh, and no pets or kids, or wife...

OK, I'm done.... how many, how far apart, floor to ceiling traps, or just center on the wall equal distance apart? Right behind the speakers what do you do..? I did see in one thread using tall fake plants in the corners was one notion.... and I've seen that at some audio joints too.

Any help from those who have done this sort of thing would be super! I can't afford not to do this as all of you point out, the results are immense. I simply can't afford to contract it all either...

Lastly, so from the top, in this 'room treatment primer' what is a good test Cd, & how to go about mesuring how big a trap to make or where to place 'em, and for that matter how many?

Books won't help me too awful much. Online info will. So if you don't mind lending me your experiences and know how, I would be in your debt. Thank you.
blindjim
Hey Jay,

Yes sir, room acoustics dollar for dollar is the best improvement you can ever make. A lot of people think that having a great system is all you need. Hey it does sound better then the $200.00 system, but with the right room you can have the ultimaty sound.
Build them or buy them, your ears will love you for it. :)

Glenn
GIK Acoustics
Here's another wealth of information:

http://www.musicplayer.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=26;hardset=0;start_point=0;DaysPrune=0

This is Ethan Winer's monitored forum for room acoustics. It's terrific. I've built a bunch of inexpensive broadband absorbers and bass traps, and it has utterly transformed my listening room. It's so obviously the best investment any audio fool can make!

Good luck!

Jay
Snickelfriz' suggestion is a good one. I just completed building some traps based on Ethan Winer's designs and I'm elated with the results.
Blindjim,

For some reason, Agon vears away from room treatment discussions. Maybe because it can get complex.

There are different schools of thought, but I like to deaden the wall (not completely) behind the speakers and difuse the side walls at first and second reflection points. And difuse behind the listening position.

Base traps would go in the corners behind the speakers.

Since you mention your VR4jrs. Make absolutely sure you position them the way that is mentioned in the owners manual. I had to re-read mine several times and I somehow missed that there is an optimal placement for them which is 8' apart sitting 8' from each speaker.

Hope this helps a little.

Also, absorbtion panels are easy to make and bass traps are tought to make DIY, be warned.